JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Gov. Ron DeSantis and Florida Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia visited Jacksonville International Airport on Wednesday to highlight what they called “wasteful local spending” and to push for changes to property taxes.
DeSantis pointed to the state’s financial reserves and continued to assert that property tax burdens are forcing some residents, especially seniors, out of their homes.
“When I became governor to now, we’ve more than tripled the state’s rainy day fund,” DeSantis said. “We have elderly people that are having to sell their homes because they can’t afford to keep paying the property tax.”
Ingoglia announced new state audits aimed at local governments, claiming Jacksonville had nearly $200 million in questionable spending over the last five years. He singled out Mayor Donna Deegan, criticizing a $75,000 airport hologram system as an example of the city’s misuse of its multibillion-dollar budget.
RELATED: Mayor Deegan ‘disappointed’ by millage rate vote, but grateful City Council passed $2B budget
The hologram, located inside the airport terminal, is a digital display system that greets travelers and provides information about the facility. Deegan said it was part of airport operations and not wasteful, while Ingoglia mocked it as “$75,000 of waste, fraud and abuse,” even dubbing it “Donna Deegan’s TSA — Taxes Squandered Again.”
Jacksonville City Councilman Matt Carlucci said in a written statement, ”I’m tired of hearing about the hologram. Frankly, I think it’s a nice idea where our mayor can welcome people to the great City of Jacksonville. When they come up with real solutions, then come see us.“
Ingoglia also pointed to other projects across the state — from a $600,000 neon sign in Pensacola to $70,000 for hot yoga in Orlando — arguing they show a broader trend of taxpayer dollars being misspent.
MayorDeegan released a statement saying:
State leaders held a press conference at the airport today and presented a wonderful opportunity to highlight the City of Jacksonville’s many efforts to drive government efficiency. Mayor Deegan released the following statement after the press conference:
“Our administration has been driving innovation since day one with exceptional results. We are turning around permits in half the time we used to. More than 304,000 staff hours have been saved through our 904 LEAN Program. We held the number of non-public safety city employees flat despite the fastest growing population in Florida. We have a top-tier AA+ distinction from the leading ratings agency.
“We stand by this Proto Box technology and the women-owned Jacksonville Small and Emerging Business behind it. In fact, AnuVision Technologies just presented Jax Tech Fest, a citywide movement to position Jacksonville as a leading hub for technology. Mayors greet travelers at airports across the country and use multimedia platforms to promote their cities as tourist destinations. This is just a new and innovative way to do that.
“Instead of being distracted by the constant partisan attacks on local governments, our administration will continue the work to make housing, healthcare, and food costs more affordable for our citizens. I hope that state leaders will do the same.”
The Proto Box now includes a hologram video featuring the Jacksonville Jaguars, including Executive Vice President of Football Operations and Hall of Famer Tony Boselli, as well as the Jaguars cheerleaders and Jaxson de Ville. Click here to watch the video. We continue to discuss with the airport the best content and location to welcome visitors during increased holiday traffic.
The City of Jacksonville has spent more than 1,000 staff hours cooperating with Florida DOGE throughout this year. The opportunity cost for this time is well above the $75,000 cost of the Proto Box itself, which was funded by the Technology Solutions Division and represents a mere 0.0000375% of the city budget
DeSantis and Ingoglia called for lawmakers to consider reforms that could lead to property tax relief, with DeSantis suggesting changes be placed on the 2026 ballot.
“The best way we can provide relief is to deal with property taxes at the local level,” DeSantis said.